March 28, 2024
Government | Kendall County Now


News

Protesters stake out Hultgren’s office over Senate health care bill

Image 1 of 3

CAMPTON HILLS – About 40 constituents came to the Campton Hills district office of U.S. Rep. Randy Hultgren, R-Plano, on June 20 to protest his support of the House version of the health-care bill now being debated in the U.S. Senate – and the lack of transparency on the bill’s details.

Carrying a sign stating, “Save the ACA,” Dorothy Johnson-Linner of Aurora said she has a sister with polycystic kidney disease who is on Medicare.

Johnson-Linner said the American Health Care Act would cut Medicare and impact her sister’s ability to stay healthy. She said she would prefer that Congress work to strengthen the Affordable Care Act.

“And the secrecy, to me, is unconscionable,” Johnson-Linner said, referring to Republican Senators meeting privately to discuss their health care bill.

According to media reports, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, said Republicans would see a draft of health care reform legislation by June 29.

An email response from Hultgren’s office stated that he is in the House and “supports an open and transparent legislative process.”

“He encourages anyone concerned with Senate legislative processes to contact Sens. Durbin and Duckworth,” stated the email.

But that did not stop protesters from staking out Hultgren’s district office.

Geneva resident Jeanne Neltnor’s sign stated: “Save health care. Join the fight.”

“I’m out here because I want to save the health care we have and improve that health care,” Neltnor said. “The secrecy – they are trying to hide something from us – and usually that’s not a good thing.”

Geneva resident Teresa Bradley’s sign called for Medicare for all. Bradley said she’s been to Ireland and Canada and spoken to residents there who like having national health care coverage.

“They never have to worry about being bankrupt or they can’t get access,” Bradley said. “I want better health care, and I don’t want to lose the health care we’ve got. They’re just trying to get a big tax cut – that’s an evil thing. “

Bradley was referring to the House bill – the American Health Care Act – that is intended to repeal tax hikes imposed by Obamacare on high-income households to fund insurance subsidies and other provisions.

“Part of the problem is, they [lawmakers] should be working for us. I don’t think they are,” Bradley said. “If you’re being secretive, you’re not doing something well.”

Also attending the event was Batavia resident Victor Swanson, who has declared he would seek the Democratic nomination to run against Hultgren in the 2018 general election.

“I’m out here supporting the Indivisible group with their signs and their protest for affordable care,” Swanson said. “Randy’s not doing much for his constituents. He’s voting with large banks, large corporations and large insurance companies, instead of what his people want and what his people need.”

Swanson also criticized the secrecy surrounding the Senate’s version of the American Health Care Act – also known as TrumpCare – which was passed by the House on May 4.

“Any bill that is passed should be done in the open, unless it’s harmful for our national security,” Swanson said. “Clearly, a health care bill is not harmful for national security. But it is harmful for millions of Americans if the rumors [about it] are true.”

The protest was punctuated by the arrival of an electronic billboard with rotating messages, paid for by Indivisible Illinois. Indivisible is a movement of citizens who oppose President Donald Trump and his policies. There are several chapters in Kane County and around the state.

The messages criticized Hultgren’s vote for the new health care act, stating that it would take health care away from 710,200 Illinoisans, that it would make premiums rise, that it would cut Medicaid by $834 billion, and that it could result in the shut down of rural hospitals.

The driver parked the truck carrying the billboard on the street alongside Hultgren’s office.

Brenda Schory

Brenda Schory

Brenda Schory covers Geneva, crime and courts, and features for the Kane County Chronicle